Chapter 18 Rissa
Rissa
I stared into Gavin’s nearly empty fridge and sighed.
It looked like we were eating out again.
I hated to cook, and so did he. Maybe we could go to Dad’s to see if he and Mom had cooked anything.
That was one perk to living so close to our parents.
We could drop in and steal stuff, eat, do laundry.
Anything we needed. I was twenty-five and Gavin was forty, but it didn’t feel like we’d ever stop doing that.
My phone buzzed on the kitchen table, Nathan's name flashing on the screen. A flutter kicked up in my stomach. We had just agreed to a secret date, why was he calling already? Against my better judgment, I answered. "Hello?"
"So, I have a situation… I, uh, I need help," Nathan said. How odd; he sounded so strained and worried, completely unlike him.
I shot up from my chair. "Are you hurt?"
A long, heavy pause. "No. It's Elle."
Icy dread flooded my veins. "Is she okay?"
Nathan let out a weary sigh. "She's fine, but it's, uh, girl stuff."
I blinked, and then realization struck me. "Oh. Oh."
He cleared his throat awkwardly. "Yeah. She's locked herself in the bathroom, and I have no idea what to do."
I pressed my lips together, smothering a laugh despite the situation. The powerful alpha wolf, completely out of his depth. "I'm on my way."
I snatched my purse and a bag of supplies from my bathroom and ran out the door.
As I drove, worry gnawed at my gut. Poor Elle, going through this alone, too embarrassed even to talk to her father.
I knew that feeling all too well. I hadn’t even wanted to talk to my mom about it at that age, much less my dad.
I pulled up to Nathan's house in record time and let myself in. He stood in the upstairs hallway, arms folded tightly across his chest, staring at the closed bathroom door like it might bite him.
"She's in there," he said uncertainly, pointing into her bedroom.
Elle’s room was surprisingly neat. I looked back at Nathan, and he pointed at a door across the room. “Bathroom,” he mouthed.
I approached the door and knocked softly. "Elle? It's Rissa."
Silence stretched out, broken only by a tentative, "You came?"
I leaned my forehead against the wood, my heart clenching. "Of course, sweetie. Can I come in?"
Another long, heavy pause. Then, finally, the click of the lock. I glanced back at Nathan, who gave me a grateful nod, then I slipped inside, shutting the door behind me.
Elle sat hunched on the edge of the bathtub, her arms wrapped around her middle. When she looked up, her young face was flushed with embarrassment and unshed tears. A wave of protectiveness surged through me, surprising me with its intensity.
I crouched down to her level, offering a small, understanding smile. "This sucks, huh?"
A strangled laugh burst from her, edged with a sob. "You have no idea."
"Oh, I do," I assured her, settling beside her on the tub. "And so does every woman you’ll ever know. It's annoying and unfair, but you'll get through it."
Elle fidgeted, twisting her fingers together. "I just didn't want to tell my dad."
I nudged her gently with my elbow. "I think he figured that out."
She sniffled, swiping at her damp cheeks. We sat in companionable silence for a moment, the weight of her emotions filling the small space.
Finally, Elle turned to look at me directly, her brown eyes, so like Nathan's, filled with a tentative vulnerability. "I've been kind of awful to you."
I shrugged, keeping my expression neutral. "Yeah, you have."
She hesitated, seeming to wrestle with her thoughts. "I didn't know how to handle… this whole thing. You being around. My dad clearly likes you."
My breath caught in my throat, a lump forming that I couldn't quite swallow past. "Elle..."
"I guess I just wasn't ready," she continued, her voice wobbling. "But I think I am now."
Warmth bloomed in my chest, spreading outward until it filled every part of me. I had to blink back the sudden sting of tears. "Good. Because I'd really like to get to know you."
A small, shaky smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "Me too."
I reached out, slowly so she could pull away if she wanted, and tucked a strand of her chestnut hair behind her ear. "You know, the first time sucks for everyone. But it does get easier."
Elle let out a shuddering breath. "Promise?"
"Cross my heart," I said solemnly.
She giggled then, the sound bright and unexpected in the heaviness of the moment. I grinned back, feeling like I'd just won some sort of victory.
I rustled through the bag I’d brought, pulling out a few different tampons and pads.
"Okay, so these are the essentials." I laid them out on the counter.
"Tampons can be tricky at first, but they're more discreet once you get the hang of it.
Pads are easier, but some people don't like how they feel. "
Elle examined them, her nose wrinkling. "They both seem terrible."
I laughed. "You're not wrong. But you'll find what works best for you. There’s some new stuff on the market I haven’t tried yet, like menstrual cups. If you want to try them, just give it a quick internet search and see what you think. I’ll get us both one if you want, and we can test them out together.
But for now…" I picked up a pad, peeling back the wrapper.
"See the sticky part? That goes in your underwear to hold it in place.
Then you just change it every few hours or whenever it feels full.
Or sometimes I change it just because it feels icky. "
Elle took the pad from me gingerly, as if it might bite. "And the other one?"
"Tampons go inside, like this." I mimed the motion for using the applicator. "But there are detailed instructions in the box with pictures. And you can always ask me if you have questions, okay? No shame."
She nodded, looking overwhelmed but determined. "Thanks. For everything."
I squeezed her shoulder. "Anytime. And here." I dug in my purse again, pulling out a bottle of Midol. "For the cramps. Take two every 6 hours or so. I find that alternating this and ibuprofen helps if the cramps get bad.”
"Okay," Elle said, squaring her slim shoulders. "Give me a minute here, and I think I'll be ready to face the world again. And my dad." She picked up a pad and tampon and clutched it with the Midol.
What a trooper she was. That poor girl having to do this without her mother. I wanted to wrap her in my arms and never let go.
I walked downstairs to find Nathan pacing nervously in the living room. He spun to face me as I entered, his brow furrowed with concern.
"How is she?" he asked tightly.
I gave him a reassuring smile. "She's doing great, all things considered. We had a good talk."
Nathan let out a relieved breath, his shoulders relaxing slightly. "Thank goodness. I was afraid she'd never come out of there."
"She just needs some time and understanding," I said gently. "This is a big change for her."
He nodded, running a hand through his hair. "I know. I just feel so...helpless. Like I should be able to make it easier for her somehow."
I stepped closer and touched his arm. "You're doing everything you can, Nathan. She knows that. Just keep being there for her."
He met my gaze, gratitude shining in his brown eyes. "Thank you, Rissa. For everything."
I squeezed his arm before letting go and walking toward the door. "Anytime."
He hesitated, then said, “Could I ask one more favor?”
I hesitated. I wanted to help him with anything he needed, but that meant getting way too vulnerable. “Of course.”
“I think she’ll be able to shift now, right?”
I smiled and nodded. “Yeah, that’s how it works.”
He scrubbed his hand over his face. “Yeah, she’s been trying. I’ve been trying to coach her through it, but I kind of figured it wouldn't work.”
“For me, it happened the next day. That seems to be the norm. Around twenty-four hours later.”
“Okay, so, um, do you think you could come back tomorrow and just kind of be around? She might have questions, or things could be weird. I could use the backup.”
He looked so lost and more than a little scared.
“I’d love to,” I said quietly, with my hand on the doorknob. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I walked out with my heart so conflicted. I wanted to stay, to hang out and be their friend, but I couldn’t. I’d be back tomorrow, though. That would be enough.
The next day, Nathan decided to let Elle stay home from school. He texted me and let me know she was struggling. Her body was already preparing for the shift; her skin flushed and restless energy thrumming through her veins.
As soon as my last child’s parents picked him up, I made a beeline back over to Nathan’s house, wanting to be there to support Elle through this monumental moment. She was pacing the living room in a bathrobe as I walked in, her bare feet padding against the hardwood floor.
"What if I can't do it?" She looked at me pitifully as I set my stuff down on the couch.
Nathan reached out to ruffle her hair affectionately. "You will, kid. It's in your blood. In your bones."
I stepped beside her, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Your body and your wolf know what to do. You just have to trust it. Trust yourself."
She looked up at me, her eyes wide and vulnerable. I squeezed her shoulder reassuringly. “Come on. Let’s go see what we can do, okay?” I took her hand and led her out back. We walked into the woods to a clearing where the pack had shifted many times.